Moscow Runs Low on Beer for Thirsty World Cup Fans

Reuters

Beer-guzzling football fans risk drinking parts of Moscow dry, with some bars and restaurants in the Russian capital saying they are running low and having to wait longer than usual for fresh supplies.

Moscow has been transformed by the World Cup, with singing, chanting and beer-swilling fans overwhelming some of the packed bars and restaurants around the Kremlin and Red Square.

"We just didn't think they would only want beer," said one waiter at a upscale eatery in central Moscow who asked not to be identified for fear of scaring off future customers.

Dmitry, a barman at trendy courtyard bar Gogol, said visiting football fans had drunk 800 liters of beer in three days, downing the cheap lager before moving on to more expensive bottled beers.

Gogol was taking three deliveries on Tuesday to replenish supplies, he said, as workers busily unpacked boxes of beer, vodka and whiskey from a nearby van.

"The sun makes them thirsty," he said of his customers. "In Russian we say 'to the bottom!' I like that these guys are embracing our culture."

Ivan, a Croatian in Russia to see his team take on Argentina on Thursday, said he had yet to encounter any shortages.

"There is beer everywhere," he said, swigging from a can of Russian Zhiguli lager whilst sitting on a bench near the Bolshoi Theatre. "Some places yes, some places no. You just have to know where to find it!"